ECC Worship for Sunday September 25, 2016 – Sunday Worship

From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised. (Psalm 113:3)

(Moravian Daily Texts 2016)

ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and CALL to WORSHIP

(Verses from Psalm 91)

You who live in the shadow of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord,

“My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence;

he will cover you with his wings, and his faithfulness will protect you.

You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrows that attack by day;

nor the pestilence stalking in darkness, nor the evils that kill in the daylight.

God says, “I will save and protect you. When you call to me, I will answer you and will be with you and rescue you.”

Your faithfulness, O God, satisfies us with long life and grants us salvation.

Hymn 153 * Great is thy faithfulness

People’s Choice Hymns are marked with an asterisk (*)

PRAYER of APPROACH

Living God, you are the source of our security;

in the midst of our troubles, you are with us.

Living God, you are the source of our strength:

When uncertainty and weakness grip us, you always build us up.

Living God, you are the source of our faith;

in Jesus Christ, our Lord, you have given us the One in whom to believe.

Living God, you are the source of all our time;

With us now, your love lasts through all eternity.

O God, creator of all life, you instruct us how you would like us to live. You call us to be faithful with the resources you give us.

And yet we are confused, resistant, and fearful. Hear the confusion and fears we confess:

(silence)

You call us to recognize our neighbors in need and to care for them.

Hear the confusion and fears we confess: (silence)

You call us to invest in the future, trust your promise to restore the earth, and deliver those who love you.

Hear the confusion and fears we confess: (silence)

As we struggle to trust you, God, forgive us, diminish our fears and renew us with your spirit of power, love, and strength, we pray. Amen.

WORDS of ASSURANCE

As we have called to God and confessed the struggles of our hearts, now believe God’s promise to be with us in our troubles, to rescue us, forgive and free us.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

Hymn 143 * (sing:)

Who put the colours in the rainbow?

(Who made all the coloured leaves?)

Who put the cold in the snowflake?

Who made you and me?

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

(Children may join the Kids’ Church programme)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

1 Timothy 6:6-19 NT p. 266 (265)

St. Luke 16:19-31 NT p. 101

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

Hymn 588 Praise the Spirit in creation

(Hymn of the Month, September 2016)

SERMON Rev. Dr. Robert Haworth

Hymn 257 Singing, we gladly worship the Lord

(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)

DEDICATION PRAYER

Merciful and gracious God, we who have received from your bounty, pray your blessings on these offerings, given in response to your generous love. May these gifts promote peace, love, and good will among all people and advance our service through your church. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.

NOTICES and PRAYERS for OTHERS

Holy God, we believe: help our unbelief.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.